PROGRESS REPORT FOR THE APPRAISAL STUDY TO DEVELOP THE PROGRAMME PROPOSAL FOR THE WATER SECTOR SUPPORT MASIBAMBANE III PROGRAMME 2007/08 – 2011/12 WATER SERVICES SECTOR COORDINATING COMMITTEE MEETING 22 FEBRUARY 2007

Focus on national priorities related to those of the water sector: Complete backlog provision of infrastructure to underprivileged communities to improve access to potable water and provision of appropriate sanitation (high political agenda). Water to leverage growth and development (facilitate mainstreaming of second economy) in a sustainable manner

Involvement of support from the European Union and donor partners necessitates focus on the second strategy Water for growth and development, without compromising the political and social imperative of attending to the infrastructure backlogs

How does this relate to the incremental transformation of DWAF to the role of sector leader, establishing policy and regulatory support for other stakeholders to implement and manage sector activities? This requires a change of corporate mindset from being the operator to a facilitator of growth and development, especially for the 2nd economy participants.

Our approach has therefore been to understand What is Masibambane? How Masibambane it relates to the national growth and development objectives? What have been the experiences of Masibambane I and II? What has been the planning processes for III? Comparing and contrasting performance and sector needs against plans - gap analysis Questioning the realism of WS priorities - examining work programmes and budgets Obtaining concurrence on financial budgets and work plans Ensuring donor support targets priority areas Develop and obtain agreement on Action Fiche

This process has/is producing: –Working Papers –Position papers on Cross-cutting Issues –Reviews of Masibambane I & II (evaluation and mid term reviews) –Assessment of underpinning issues –Verification of WS priorities and those of Masibambane III are in-line with national priorities, and reviewing for realism

Over 50 individual interviews Visits to three selected provinces National level interviews Drafted working papers: National macro environment Reviewed these themes related to the Water Sector Water Services sub-Sector Water Resources Management Sub-sector

The team has also looked at Cross-cutting Issues –Gender mainstreaming –Civil Society Partnerships –Appropriate Technology –Environmental Management –Communications (education, learning and knowledge management)

Programme Underpinning issues: –DWAF as sector leader –Institutional support and capacity building –Good governance –Interface between WR and WS –Review of Regulatory environment –Private Public Partnerships (PPP) –Management of Masibambane III

These are still work-in-progress and will support the final report from which a draft Action Fiche to support Government’s application to European Commission in Brussels